Laser guided tools

ABSTRACT

Tools for crimping or cutting of an object such as a wire, cable, or connector. The tool includes a first member and a second member configured to come together through a gap to crimp or cut a wire, cable or connector and a laser positioned to visually indicate a region where at least one member traverses as the first and second member come together through the gap. This visual indication aids in alignment of the object for the crimping or cutting operation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present disclosure is based on and claims benefit from co-pendingU.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/210,581 filed Aug. 27, 2015entitled “Laser Guided Tools,” the entire contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field

This disclosure relates generally to the field of crimping and cuttingtools. More particularly, this disclosure relates to laser-guidedcrimping and cutting tools.

Description of the Related Art

A crimping tool is used to crush a sleeve of an electrical connectoraround a wire or cable to secure the connector to the wire or cable andmake an electrical connection between the connector and the wire orcable. A cutter tool is used to cut wires and cables.

Some crimping tools are manually operated by squeezing the handles ofthe tool to cause members of the crimping tool to apply a force on theconnector over the wire or cable. This force is designed to crush theconnector sleeve around the wire or cable to secure the connector sleeveto the wire or cable. Similarly, cutting tools are manually operated bysqueezing the handles of the tool to cause members of the cutting toolto apply a cutting force on the wire or cable.

Other crimping and cutting tools are operated using power from a powersupply. Generally powered crimping and cutting tools are used to operateon heavier gauge wires and cables.

Typically, a user manually holds an object in a position relative to themembers so that the object may be operated on by the tool. Because theuser may desire that the crimping or cutting operation happens in aspecific location of the object, the user may tend to hold the objectclose to the location where the crimping or cutting operation occurs.This may expose users to injury if their fingers are caught in the pathof the crimping or cutting members.

If the user holds the object further from the operation there may bemore positioning variability relative to the members thereby leading tocrimping and cutting errors.

It is desirable to be able to use crimping and cutting tools to moresafely and accurately perform crimping and cutting operations.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosure include illustrative embodiments of toolsfor crimping connectors around wires and cables, cutting wires andcables, and a method for performing crimping and cutting operations.Other embodiments perform other mechanical operations on an object.

Embodiments include a tool for operating on an object, such as aconnector, wire or cable. The tool includes a body and a head. The toolhead includes a first member and a second member configured to convergearound the object when the tool is operated. The tool head also includesa light source positioned to generate light that visually indicates aregion where at least one member traverses as the first member and thesecond member converge.

In some embodiments the operation crimps a connector to a wire or cable.In other embodiments, the operation cuts a wire or cable. In yet otherembodiments, other mechanical operations may be performed on a wire,cable, or other object.

In some embodiments the light source is a laser positioned to visuallyindicate where the tool will operate on the object as the first andsecond members converge.

In some embodiments, the laser illuminates a plane between the memberssuch that the object will be illuminated where it crosses the plane. Inother embodiments the laser illuminates a portion of the path in whichat least one of the members traverses such that the object will beilluminated where it crosses the illuminated portion of the path.

The illumination on the object provides a visual indication where themembers will operate on the object. A user can adjust the position ofthe object or the tool relative to each other based on the visualindication before performing the crimping operation.

In some embodiments, at least one of the members has at least onefeature that operates on the object. In some cases, the features may beremovably attached to the members. For example, crimping dies may beattached to each of the members to attach features for particular sizesof connectors, wires or cables. In other embodiments, one or morefeatures may be fixed on the member.

A feature of a member of the crimping tool may be a protrusion groove ofother physical structure that defines how the member physicallyinteracts with the connector to secure it to the wire or cable. Thelaser may be positioned to specifically indicate the path of a featureas the members converge around the object. Thus, the physical impact ofthat feature can be anticipated by aligning the laser to a target areaof the object.

A feature of a member of the cutting tool may be a blade that cuts thewire or cable. The laser may be positioned to specifically indicate thepath of at least one of the blades as the members converge around theobject. Thus, the physical impact of the blade can be anticipated byaligning the laser to a target area of the object.

In some embodiments, the tool is manually operated even though the laseris powered by a battery or other power source.

Reference in this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment” orthe like means that a particular feature, structure, characteristic,advantage or benefit described in connection with the embodiment may beincluded in at least one embodiment of the disclosure, but may not beexhibited by other embodiments. The appearances of the phrase “in oneembodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarilyall referring to the same embodiment, nor are separate or alternativeembodiments mutually exclusive of other embodiments. Similarly, variousrequirements are described which may be requirements for someembodiments but not for other embodiments. The specification anddrawings are to be regarded in an illustrative sense rather than arestrictive sense. Various modifications may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope as set forth in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The figures depict embodiments for purposes of illustration only. Oneskilled in the art will readily recognize from the following descriptionthat alternative embodiments of the structures illustrated herein may beemployed without departing from the principles described herein,wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a tool forperforming a crimping operation on a connector;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a head for performing acrimping operation;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of a head for performing acrimping operation;

FIG. 4 is a view of an embodiment of a die for the crimping tool of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a head for performing acutting operation;

FIG. 6 is a top view of an embodiment of a head for performing a cuttingoperation; and

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method for performing a laser guidedoperation on an object.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description and drawings are illustrative and are not tobe construed as limiting. Numerous specific details are described toprovide a thorough understanding of the disclosure. However, in certaininstances, well known or conventional details are not described in orderto avoid obscuring the description.

FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a crimping tool 150 having a bodyand a head. The head 160 that includes a member 101 and a member 102.The member 101 and the member 102 are configured to converge around anobject, seen in for example FIG. 2, positioned between the member 101and the member 102. The member 102 is fixed and the member 101 movesalong a track 131 towards the member 102 around the object positionedbetween the member 101 and the member 102. In some embodiments, both themember 101 and the member 102 move towards each other to converge aroundthe object positioned between the member 101 and the member 102. In someembodiments, the object is a wire or cable inserted through a sleeve ofa lug or connector, as shown in FIG. 2.

A die 121 is attached to the member 101 and a die 122 is attached to themember 102. The dies have physical features such as protrusions andgrooves that are applied to the object when the members converge aroundthe object. When the object is a wire inserted into the sleeve of aconnector, this operation crushes the sleeve of the connector onto thewire thereby securing the connector to the wire facilitating themaintenance of an electrical connection between the connector and thewire.

The member 102 is in a fixed position on the crimping tool 150. When abutton 192 is pressed, the member 101 is propelled towards the member102 using a force generated by power supplied from a battery 190. Thus,the member 101 approaches the member 102 guided on a track 131 toconverge around the object. The means of applying a force on the member101 is within the crimping tool 150 and is not shown or described. Itwill be apparent to one skilled in the art that conventional methods maybe used to propel the member 101. In some cases, a motor powered by thebattery 190 propels the member 102. In some embodiments, the members mayconverge by manual force applied to the members by squeezing handlestogether.

An embedded laser 111 is mounted near the part of the track 131 wherethe member 101 and the member 102 converge around an object. Theembedded laser 111 receives power from a battery 190 via power lines194, and is positioned laterally to generate light 134 in the planethrough which features of the member 101 and/or the member 102 traverseto converge on the object. In some cases, the embedded laser 111generates a narrow beam of light to indicate a particular position thatis aligned with a feature or a corresponding portion of the member. Thisbeam of light indicates where the feature will interact with the objectto facilitate positioning of the object in advance of performing theoperation. In other cases, the laser generates light that has an angularspread to illuminate a region in a plane in which a feature of themember 101 traverses. In some embodiments, the feature of the member 101is an integral portion of the member 101. In other embodiments, thefeature of the member 101 is on the die 121 that is attached to themember 101.

FIG. 2 illustrates the head 160 of the crimping tool 150 of FIG. 1. Thehead 160 includes a member 101 including a die 121 with a feature 141,seen in FIG. 4 and a member 102 including a die 122 with a feature 142.The die 121 and the die 122, including the feature 141 and the feature142, are identical. However, in other embodiments, the dies and featuresmay be different from each other.

The embedded laser 111 is positioned to generate a light 134 in theplane of the traversal path of the feature 141 as the member 101 ispropelled along the track 131 towards the member 102 around theconnector 132 having a sleeve around a wire 133.

An object, e.g., connector 132, having a sleeve placed around a wire 133is positioned in the gap between the member 101 and the member 102substantially perpendicular to the traversal path of one or bothmembers. The features of the die 121 and the die 122 determine theforces applied to the connector 132 around the wire 133 thereby securingthe connector 132 to the wire 133.

The light from the embedded laser 111 illuminates the connector 132 atthe location where at least one feature of at least one member isexpected to impact the connector as the member 101 approaches the member102. In other embodiments, both members move towards each other toconverge around the object and the laser illuminates a position or aplane through which at least one feature from either or both memberstraverse. In yet other embodiments, three or more members converge onthe object. In still other embodiments, two or more lasers are used foralignment. For example, additional lasers may be used to alignadditional features of the members to other points on the object.

FIG. 3 is a top view of the head 160 of the crimping tool 150. The head160 of the crimping tool 150 includes the member 101 that slides along atrack 131 to approach the member 102 when the button 192 (shown inFIG. 1) on the body of the crimping tool 150 is pressed.

The connector 132 having a sleeve around a wire 133 is positionedsubstantially perpendicular to a plane between the member 101 and themember 102 and above the embedded laser 111. The embedded laser 111generates light 134 having an angular spread to illuminate a region inthe plane through which the features of the member 101 traverses toconverge around the sleeve of the connector 132. The embedded laser 111receives power on the power line 194.

FIG. 4 illustrates a die 122. The die has a feature 145 and a feature141. The feature 145 is a semicircular groove sized to accommodate alongits length the sleeve of the connector 132 around the wire 133. The die121, seen in FIG. 2, is identical to the die 122. When the two die cometogether around the connector 132 as the members converge, the feature145 for each die crushes the connector around the wire. The feature 141is a groove perpendicular to the feature 145. The feature 141 causesdiscontinuities in the shape of the crushed connector. This helpsprevent the connector 132 from sliding off the wire 133.

FIG. 5 illustrates a head 170 of a cutting tool. The head 170 includes amember 201 with a feature that is a blade 244 and a member 202 with afeature that is a blade 245. The embedded laser 111 is positioned togenerate light 134 in the plane of the traversal path of the blade 244as the member 201 is propelled along the track 131 to converge with themember 202. This light 134 provides a visual indication of where theblade 244 and the blade 245 will converge around the wire 133. When theblade 244 and the blade 245 converge, the blade 245 and the blade 244cut the wire 133. Power line 194 is connected to embedded laser 111 andbattery 190 as noted above.

In some embodiments, the head 170 interfaces with a body of the cuttingtool that is similar to the body of the crimping tool in that itprovides power to the embedded laser 111 and has components that propelthe member 201 when a button, e.g., button 192 shown in FIG. 1, ispressed.

FIG. 6 is a top view of the head 170 of the cutting tool. The wire 133is positioned substantially perpendicular to the plane between themember 201 and the member 202 and above the embedded laser 111. Theembedded laser 111 receives power on the power line 194 and generateslight 134 having an angular spread to illuminate a region in the planethrough which the blade 244 of the member 201 traverses to cut the wire133.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart of a method for using a tool to perform alaser-guided operation. In step 700 the method starts. A region betweenthe first and second members of a tool is then illuminated by the laser111 when the button 192 is pressed, step 710. With the regionilluminated, an object is aligned between the first and second membersso that the visual indication identifies a location on the object, step720. In step 730, the first and second members are moved to convergearound the object by further pressing button 192. The first and secondmembers then cause the tool to operate on the object according to thelocation identified by the visual indication, step 740. The method endsin step 750.

In some embodiments, the object is a connector with a sleeve around awire and the operation crimps the sleeve at the location identified bythe visual indication. In other embodiments, the object is a wire andthe operation cuts the wire at the location identified by the visualindication. Other objects and physical operations may be performed bythe tool.

The foregoing specification provides a description with reference tospecific exemplary embodiments. The specification and drawings are to beregarded in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive sense.Various modifications may be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope as set forth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A tool head for operating on an object, the toolhead comprising: a first member and a second member, at least one of thefirst and second member being configured to move toward the othermember; and a light source positioned to generate light that visuallyindicates a region where at least one member traverses as the at leastone member moves toward the other member.
 2. The tool head of claim 1,wherein the first and second members are configured to crimp the objectas the first member moves toward the second member.
 3. The tool head ofclaim 1, wherein the first and second members are configured to cut theobject as the first member moves toward the second member.
 4. The toolhead of claim 1, wherein the first member comprises a first feature andthe second member comprises a second feature, and wherein the lightsource is positioned to generate light that visually indicates a regionwhere at least one of the first feature and the second feature areconfigured to operate on the object as the first member moves toward thesecond member.
 5. The tool head of claim 1, wherein the light source ispositioned to generate light to visually indicate a plane between thefirst and second members.
 6. The tool head of claim 1, wherein the lightsource is a laser.
 7. The tool head of claim 1, wherein the first membercomprises a first die and the second member comprises a second die. 8.The tool head of claim 7, wherein the first die comprises a firstcrimping feature and the second die comprises a second crimping feature,the light source being positioned to visually indicate where at leastone of the crimping features of the first and second dies traverse asthe first member moves toward the second member.
 9. The tool head ofclaim 7, wherein the first die comprises a first crimping feature andthe second die comprises a second crimping feature, the light sourcebeing positioned to visually indicate a plane between the first andsecond members, the first crimping feature and the second crimpingfeature being configured to operate on an object where the objectcrosses the plane as the first member moves toward the second member.10. The tool head of claim 9, wherein the first crimping featurecomprises a protrusion.
 11. The tool head of claim 9, wherein the firstcrimping feature comprises a groove.
 12. The tool head of claim 1,wherein the first member comprises a first blade and the second membercomprises a second blade.
 13. The tool head of claim 12, wherein thelight source is positioned to visually indicate where at least one ofthe first and second blades traverse as the first member moves towardthe second member.
 14. A tool for operating on an object, the toolcomprising: a body for supporting a tool head; and a tool headcomprising: a first member and a second member, at least one of thefirst and second member being configured to move toward the othermember; and a light source positioned to generate light that visuallyindicates a region where at least one member traverses as the at leastone member moves toward the other member.
 15. The tool of claim 14,wherein the first and second members are configured to crimp the objectas the first member moves toward the second member.
 16. The tool ofclaim 14, wherein the first and second members are configured to cut theobject as the first member moves toward the second member.
 17. The toolof claim 14, wherein the first member comprises a first feature and thesecond member comprises a second feature, and wherein the light sourceis positioned to generate light that visually indicates a region whereat least one of the first feature and the second feature are configuredto operate on the object as the first member moves towards the secondmember.
 18. The tool of claim 14, wherein the light source is positionedto generate light to visually indicate a plane between the first andsecond members.
 19. The tool of claim 14, wherein the light source is alaser.
 20. The tool of claim 14, wherein the first member comprises afirst die and the second member comprises a second die.
 21. The tool ofclaim 20, wherein the first die comprises a first crimping feature andthe second die comprises a second crimping feature, the light sourcebeing positioned to visually indicate where at least one of the crimpingfeatures of the first and second dies traverse as the first member movestowards the second member.
 22. The tool of claim 20, wherein the firstdie comprises a first crimping feature and the second die comprises asecond crimping feature, the light source being positioned to visuallyindicate a plane between the first and second members, the firstcrimping feature and the second crimping feature being configured tooperate on an object where the object crosses the plane as the firstmember moves towards the second member.
 23. The tool of claim 14,wherein the first member comprises a first blade and the second membercomprises a second blade.
 24. The tool of claim 23, wherein the lightsource is positioned to visually indicate where at least one of thefirst and second blades traverse as the first member moves towards thesecond member.
 25. The tool of claim 14, wherein the body has a batterythat is electrically coupled to the light source.
 26. The tool of claim25, wherein the body includes a button operatively coupled to thebattery for activating the tool head.
 27. A method of using a toolcomprising a first and second member configured to converge around anobject, the tool having a visual indication of a position that the firstmember traverses as the first member moves towards the second member,the method comprising: aligning an object between the first and secondmembers so that the visual indication identifies a location on theobject; and moving the first member towards the second member causingthe tool to operate on the object according to the location identifiedby the visual indication.
 28. The method of claim 27, wherein thelocation identified by the visual indication comprises a positiontraversed by a feature of the first member.